The survey was conducted by alcohol education campaigner Drinkaware, which provides information on the effects of excessive alcohol consumption. The guidelines recommend no more than two to three units for women and three to four for men. For women, that equates to just one large glass of red wine, while for men it is just over a pint of beer.

However, few British Christmas revelers are following these norms. Siobhan McCann, a spokesperson for Drinkaware, confirmed that many Britons overindulge during the holiday season.

“Lots of people have said that December is the one time of year that they can drink and not feel guilty. But then on the other hand, there are lots of people saying that they drink more than they mean to over the festive season.”

The seemingly endless round of Christmas get-togethers, office parties and family celebrations means it is difficult to avoid alcohol during the festive season. To combat all that, Drinkaware has launched a live examination of the nation’s drinking habits, which anyone can take advantage of by visiting the organization’s website.

Britain is now seeing an increase in the amount of alcohol-related liver damage in people under 30. In fact, one in three adults drinks enough to risk alcohol-related liver disease.

McCann warns of other dangers as well. “People need to know what abuse of alcohol can do to them in the short term. It can affect your safety if you are getting an unlicensed cab home or if you are ill. But in the longer term it can increase your chances of contracting lots of health problems, like liver damage, mental health issues, and some forms of cancer,” she said.

Yet risks to personal safety do not seem to deter most Christmas drinkers, as personal testimonies prove. “I don’t know how I’m getting home – I’ll worry about that later!” said one British pub patron to RT.

According to the police, alcohol-induced social problems are also more pronounced during the holiday season. Muggings and street brawls become a common sight on the streets of many towns in the UK.

Indeed, the consequences of such annual bacchanalia are so extensive that the ambulance services have special provisions for dealing with drunkenness at this time of year.